Sills & Smith
„Maps – Burned Or Lost“
Rock, Folk. CD,  2018

Why do I always think of Neil Young and sometimes write Sills & Young? The folk genre does share a commonality, but unfortunately for Neil Young, his musical range is pretty much exhausted by folk and rock. And that's a good thing, because I adore Young's music. While Sills & Smith don't exactly set off fireworks with this album, they do it with such a relaxed feel that it's kind of like fireworks anyway. Furthermore, some songs, with their social commentary, are reminiscent of 60s/70s protest songs. That's where the similarities between the Canadians end, because Sills & Smith both sing and don't sound like Young (who is, after all, a true original). "Maps – Burned Or Lost" is a journey through our times, in which some of us seem to be getting lost.

Now that that's out of the way, let's talk about the CD's sound. Bova Sound doesn't make any mistakes here – it sounds perfectly balanced. The design, which I far too often ignore, is really beautifully done. Just look at how the CD blends with the water – brilliantly executed.

In my opinion, the strongest of the 14 songs is "On The Edge." And that led me astray, because I expected something similar from the rest of the CD. Instead, I felt a surge of desire to enjoy a glass of wine and listen to the more relaxed tracks. Is the focus here on the lyrics? Strong, song-oriented tracks. Musically, they're flawless. I know it's not downbeat, and yet this CD slows me down. "A Freight Train" has wonderful lyrics and, despite its subject matter, is relaxing. And that's how I feel about most of the tracks. "But Jan, that must be boring, right?" Of course, it's not power metal, not introverted instrumental prog. And that's precisely what I like so much about "Maps – Burned Or Lost." No one is rushing me; I never feel like anything is being forced upon me. 70 minutes of relaxation to intelligent lyrics, slow-paced music. Almost a conclusion?

Sills & Smith have perhaps delivered their most contemplative work here. Very relaxed despite all the social commentary, the lyrics never feel contrived or intrusive. It somehow reminds me of Mark Knopfler's "Privateering." Is there a more relaxed musician? Hardly. For me, Sills & Smith have created a work of art in tranquility – without a single dull moment.

Frank Smith – vocals
Jeremy Sills – vocals, 6 and 12 string acoustic guitars, piano and trumpet
Phillip Victor Bova – electric bass, keyboards, strings, hammond organ, tambourine
T. Bruce Wittet – drums and percussion
Don Wallace – electric guitars
Jesse Stewart – percussion
Marianne Dumas – keyboards, tambourine
Jim McDowell – hammond organ and wurlitzer organ
Brian Tansley – flute
Petr Cancura – mandolin, soprano saxophone
John Findlay – electric guitars on Miss Us

Bandcamp – „Maps – Burned Or Lost“

All the photos are from my CD, which was kindly sent to me personally from Canada by Frank Smith. The rights to all images, logos, texts, and fonts shown in the photos naturally belong to their respective copyright holders.

No AI was used in the making of this Review.
©10.08.2026